2014 WORLD CUP - ARGENTINA - KEY PLAYER - ‪LIONEL MESSI - PROFILE

Lionel Andrés Messi; born 24 June 1987, is an Argentine footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He serves as the captain of his country's national football team.

By the age of 21, Messi had received Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations. The following year, in 2009, he won his first Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards. 

1 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - USA - KEY PLAYER - ‪JERMAINE JONES - PROFILE

Jermaine Junior Jones, born 3 November 1981, is a German-American footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Turkish club Beşiktaş. He has previously played for Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen, Blackburn Rovers and Schalke 04. He was born in Germany and represented them at U21 and senior level.

1 Jul 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - NIGERIA - COACH - STEPHEN KESHI RESIGNS AFTER EXIT

He becomes the sixth manager to leave his job during the World Cup, following the departures of Honduras's Luis Suarez, Iran's Carlos Queiroz, Japan's Alberto Zaccheroni, Italy's Cesare Prandelli and Ivory Coast's Sabri Lamouchi.

Keshi, who captained Nigeria at the 1994 World Cup finals, was previously in charge of Mali and Togo.

1 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 18 - LAST SIXTEEN - FRANCE vs NIGERIA 2:0

LAST SIXTEEN
30th June 2014

France vs Nigeria 2:0

30 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 18 - LAST SIXTEEN - GERMANY vs ALGERIA 2:1

LAST SIXTEEN
30th June 2014

Germany vs Algeria 2:1

30 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - GERMANY - KEY PLAYER - THOMAS MUELLER‬ - PROFILE

Müller's role can be described as an attacking all-rounder, a player able to play in a variety of forward positions. He can play in any of the attacking midfield roles but usually plays in the center for Bayern Munich, and on the right for Germany.

He has been used as an out-and-out striker on occasion. Müller has been praised for his maturity, pace, technique, awareness and positioning.

30 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - FRANCE - KEY PLAYER - ‪KARIM BENZEMA - PROFILE

He has been named French Player of the Year twice for his performances in 2011 and 2012. Benzema is a former French youth international and has represented his nation from under-17 level onwards. 

Benzema has earned over 65 caps and represented France at three major international tournaments; the 2008 and 2012 editions of the UEFA European Football Championship and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

30 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 17 - LAST SIXTEEN - NETHERLANDS VS MEXICO 2:1

LAST SIXTEEN
29th June 2014

Netherlands vs Mexico 2:1

Lucky dutchmen!

29 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 17 - LAST SIXTEEN - COSTA RICA VS GREECE 5:4 - win on penalties

LAST SIXTEEN
29th June 2014

Costa Rica vs Greece 5:4

Costa Rica through on penalties.

29 Jun 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - MEXICO - KEY PLAYER - ‪Giovani dos Santos‬ - PROFILE

Giovani dos Santos‬ was born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Giovani joined FC Barcelona's academy of La Masia at the age of eleven and played for Barcelona's Juvenil A category where he helped his team to make a comeback in the league and win the regional title. 

This title allowed them to participate in the Youth Copa del Rey, where they faced other regional champions, among them their historic arch-rivals, Real Madrid. 

29 Jun 2014

CAF Player of the Year - Toure in frame for fifth title

Yaya Toure

 

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure is in the frame to win a fifth straight African Player of the Year award.

Toure has been included on an initial list of 37 names for the Confederation of African Football's annual title, which will be announced on 22 December.

The Ivory Coast captain led his side to the Africa Cup of Nations title in February in Equatorial Guinea.

DR Congo keeper Robert Kidiaba is one four players also on a 24-man list for the Africa-based player of the year.

If Toure claims a fifth title he will overtake Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o, who has won the award four times.

Toure's international team-mates Gervinho, Max Gradel and Serge Aurier are the other names on the international list from the Nation Cup winning squad.


List of players nominated for CAF’s African Player of the year award:

• Ahmed Musa - CSKA Moscow (Russia) and Nigeria
• Andre Ayew - Swansea City (England) and Ghana
• Aymen Abdennour - Valencia (Spain) and Tunisia
• Baghdad Bounedjah - Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia) and Algeria
• Bassem Morsi - Zamalek (Egypt) and Egypt
• Chrisitian Atsu - Bournemouth (England) and Ghana
• Dieumerci Mbokani - Norwich City (England) and DR Congo
• El Arbi Soudani - Dynamo Zagreb (Croatia) and Algeria
• Faouzi Ghoulam - Napoli (Italy) and Algeria
• Ferebory Dore - Angers (France) and Congo
• Gervinho - Roma (Italy) and Ivory Coast
• Ibrahima Traore - B Monchengladbach (Germany) and Guinea
• Javier Balboa - Al Faisaly (Saudi Arabia) and Equatorial Guinea
• Heldon Ramos - Rio Ave (Portugal) and Cape Verde
• Mame Biram Diouf - Stoke City (England) and Senegal
• Max Gradel - Bournemouth (England) Ivory Coast
• Mehdi Benatia - Bayern Munich (Germany) and Morocco
• Mudather El Tahir 'Careca' - Al Hilal (Sudan) and Sudan
• Mohamed Salah - Roma (Italy) and Egypt
• Nicolas Nkoulou - Marseille (France) and Cameroon
• P-Emerick Aubameyang - B. Dortmund (Germany) and Gabon
• Robert Kidiaba - TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and DR Congo
• Rudy Gestede - Aston Villa (England) and Benin
• Riyad Mahrez - Leicester City (England) and Algeria
• Sadio Mane - Southampton (England) and Senegal
• Serge Aurier - Paris St Germain (France) and Ivory Coast
• Seydou Keita - Roma (Italy) and Mali
• Sofiane Feghouli - Valencia (Spain) and Algeria
• Stephane Mbia - Trabzonspor (Turkey) and Cameroon
• Thievy Bifouma - Granada (Spain) and Congo
• Victor Wanyama - Southampton (England) and Kenya
• Vincent Aboubakar - Porto (Portugal) and Cameroon
• Vincent Enyeama - Lille (France) and Nigeria
• Yacine Brahimi - Porto (Portugal) and Algeria
• Yannick Bolasie - Crystal Palace (England) and DR Congo
• Yasine Chikhaoui - Al Gharafa (Qatar) and Tunisia
• Yaya Toure - Manchester City (England) and Ivory Coast


List of players nominated for CAF’s Africa-Based Player of the year award:

• Abdeladim Khadrouf - Moghreb Tetouan and Morocco
• Abdelmalek Ziaya - Entente Setif and Algeria
• Ahmed Akaichi - Etoile du Sahel and Tunisia
• A. Carolus - USM Algers (Algeria) and Madagascar
• Baghdd Bounedjah - Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia) and Algeria
• Bakri El Madina - Al Merriekh and Sudan
• Bassem Morsi - Zamalek and Egypt
• Boris Moubhio - AC Leopards and Congo
• Djigui Diarra - Stade Malien and Mali
• Felipe Ovono - Orlando Pirates (South Africa) and Eq Guinea
• Sylvain Gbohouo - TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Ivory Coast
• Hazem Emam - Zamalek and Egypt
• Hocine Ragued - Esperance and Tunisia
• Kermit Erasmus - Orlando Pirates and South Africa
• Malick Evouna - Al Ahly (Egypt) and Gabon
• Mbwana Samatta - TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Tanzania
• Mohamed Koffi - Zamalek (Egypt) and Burkina Faso
• Mohamed Meftah - USM Algers and Algeria
• Mudather El Tahir 'Careca' - Al Hilal and Sudan
• Oupa Manyisa - Orlando Pirates and South Africa
• Robert Kidiaba - TP Mazembe and DR Congo
• Roger Assale - TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Ivory Coast
• Thamsanqa Gabuza - Orlando Pirates and South Africa
• Zein Edin Farahat - USM Algers and Algeria
 

 

 

14 Oct 2015
(BBC Sport UK)

Related countries

Related articles